Great Post Road
Encyclopedia
The Great Post Road is the name for the historical road that runs across Java
that connects Anyer
and Panarukan. It was built during the reign of governor-general of the Dutch East Indies
Herman Willem Daendels
(1808–1811).
road which was laid down under the order of King Lodewijk Napoleon who ruled Holland at that time. France
was at war with England
and the road was intended to ease military support, e.g. transfer of soldiers, in order to defend Java
. Before the road was constructed, connections existed between Batavia
— Semarang
and between Semarang — Surabaya
in 1750. North-south connection between Semarang, Surakarta
and Yogyakarta was also available at that time. However, these connection paths were not easily passable as heavy tropical rainfall frequently destroyed them.
Daendels faced difficult conditions in Dutch East Indies
when he was starting the road construction. The financial situation in the colony was so tight that the minister of Colonial Affairs in Holland sent him a letter emphasizing the difficult financial situation and the need to reduce expenditures. English was surely a big threat, there were uprisings in Bantam
and Cirebon
, and some of Daendels opponents, who were alienated from him, took a negative side against him. Daendels then decided to use most of the heavy works from the Javanese unpaid forced labors which resulted in thousand of deaths due to unhealthiness of the forests, marshes and the labor conditions.
Many of Daendels' opponents became historical sources of the harsh condition during the road construction. Major William Thorn wrote that about 12,000 natives have perished during the construction. Nicolaus Engelhard, who was a governor over most of Java and who had to give up his position to Daendels, stated that 500 workers had died in Megamendung area nearby Buitenzorg (the present-day of Bogor
), excluding the number of people who died as the result of illness. Furthermore Engelhard criticized Daendels of the thousand of casualties resulting from the road construction in the woods of Weleri in Pekalongan
region.
is runs through Preanger (Priangan, West Java
) highland, from Meester Cornelis (Jatinegara) went south to Buitenzorg (Bogor
), and went east to Cianjur
, Bandung
, Sumedang
, and Cirebon
. The current north coast road runs through coastal northern West Java which built later after the construction of Daendels' post road. It connects Bekasi
, Karawang
, Pamanukan, and Cirebon.The road originally ran from Anyer
, present day Banten
, but formerly West Java to Panarukan, East Java, but later was extended to Banyuwangi
. In its current form the Java main road extends through five provinces
: Banten
, DKI Jakarta, West Java
, Central Java
and East Java
.
, Tangerang
, Batavia
, Meester Cornelis
(today absorbed into Jakarta), Buitenzorg
, Cianjur
, Bandung
, Sumedang
, Cirebon
, Tegal
, Pekalongan
, Semarang
, Rembang, Tuban
, Surabaya
, Pasuruan
, Probolinggo
and Panarukan.
and France
. The Indonesian writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer
did the narration for this film.
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
that connects Anyer
Anyer
Anyer is a town in Banten, formerly West Java, Indonesia, fifteen kilometres south of Merak. It is home of a forty metre lighthouse built by King Willem III of the Netherlands in 1885 as a memorial for the townspeople killed by the eruption of Krakatau, which destroyed the town.It is also the...
and Panarukan. It was built during the reign of governor-general of the Dutch East Indies
Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
The Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies represented the Dutch rule in the Dutch East Indies between 1610 and Dutch recognition of the independence of Indonesia in 1949.The first Governors-General were appointed by the Dutch East India Company...
Herman Willem Daendels
Herman Willem Daendels
Herman Willem Daendels was a Dutch politician who served as the 36th Governor General of the Dutch East Indies between 1808 and 1811....
(1808–1811).
Construction
La Grande Route, as Daendels called it, was a militaryMilitary
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
road which was laid down under the order of King Lodewijk Napoleon who ruled Holland at that time. France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
was at war with England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the road was intended to ease military support, e.g. transfer of soldiers, in order to defend Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
. Before the road was constructed, connections existed between Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
— Semarang
Semarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
and between Semarang — Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
in 1750. North-south connection between Semarang, Surakarta
Surakarta
Surakarta, also called Solo or Sala, is a city in Central Java, Indonesia of more than 520,061 people with a population density of 11,811.5 people/km2. The 44 km2 city adjoins Karanganyar Regency and Boyolali Regency to the north, Karanganyar Regency and Sukoharjo Regency to the east and...
and Yogyakarta was also available at that time. However, these connection paths were not easily passable as heavy tropical rainfall frequently destroyed them.
Daendels faced difficult conditions in Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
when he was starting the road construction. The financial situation in the colony was so tight that the minister of Colonial Affairs in Holland sent him a letter emphasizing the difficult financial situation and the need to reduce expenditures. English was surely a big threat, there were uprisings in Bantam
Bantam (city)
Bantam in Banten province near the western end of Java was a strategically important site and formerly a major trading city, with a secure harbor on the Sunda Strait through which all ocean-going traffic passed, at the mouth of Banten River that provided a navigable passage for light craft into...
and Cirebon
Cirebon
Cirebon is a port city on the north coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is located in the province of West Java near the provincial border with Central Java, approximately 297 km east of Jakarta, at .The seat of a former Sultanate, the city's West and Central Java border location have...
, and some of Daendels opponents, who were alienated from him, took a negative side against him. Daendels then decided to use most of the heavy works from the Javanese unpaid forced labors which resulted in thousand of deaths due to unhealthiness of the forests, marshes and the labor conditions.
Many of Daendels' opponents became historical sources of the harsh condition during the road construction. Major William Thorn wrote that about 12,000 natives have perished during the construction. Nicolaus Engelhard, who was a governor over most of Java and who had to give up his position to Daendels, stated that 500 workers had died in Megamendung area nearby Buitenzorg (the present-day of Bogor
Bogor
Bogor is a city on the island of Java in the West Java province of Indonesia. The city is located in the center of the Bogor Regency , 60 kilometers south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta...
), excluding the number of people who died as the result of illness. Furthermore Engelhard criticized Daendels of the thousand of casualties resulting from the road construction in the woods of Weleri in Pekalongan
Pekalongan
Pekalongan is a city and seat of Pekalongan Regency on the northern coast of Central Java, Indonesia. The city is Central Java's most important port, and is known for its batik.-History:The history of Pekalongan dated back to the early 12th century...
region.
Extent
Today the Java Great Post Road consist the most parts of present Java North Coast Road . However the original post roadPost road
For other uses, see Post Road .A post road is a road designated for the transportation of postal mail. In past centuries only major towns had a post house, and the roads used by post riders or mail coaches to carry mail among them were particularly important ones or, due to the special attention...
is runs through Preanger (Priangan, West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
) highland, from Meester Cornelis (Jatinegara) went south to Buitenzorg (Bogor
Bogor
Bogor is a city on the island of Java in the West Java province of Indonesia. The city is located in the center of the Bogor Regency , 60 kilometers south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta...
), and went east to Cianjur
Cianjur
Cianjur is a city in the West Java province of Indonesia, the capital of Cianjur Regency. Cianjur is located in the middle of the main road between Jakarta and Bandung . The population is about 146,874...
, Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, Sumedang
Sumedang
Sumedang is a town in West Java, Indonesia, approximately 35 km northeast of Bandung.The town is famous for tahu Bungkeng, a local variety of deep fried tofu which was first made by a Chinese immigrant, Ong Kino....
, and Cirebon
Cirebon
Cirebon is a port city on the north coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is located in the province of West Java near the provincial border with Central Java, approximately 297 km east of Jakarta, at .The seat of a former Sultanate, the city's West and Central Java border location have...
. The current north coast road runs through coastal northern West Java which built later after the construction of Daendels' post road. It connects Bekasi
Bekasi
Bekasi is a city in West Java, Indonesia, located on the eastern border of Jakarta in the Jabodetabek metropolitan region. To the south is Bogor Regency, east is Bekasi Regency....
, Karawang
Karawang
Karawang is the capital of the Karawang Regency of West Java, Indonesia. It is located 32 miles east of Jakarta. Karawang has a population of 2,150,610 ....
, Pamanukan, and Cirebon.The road originally ran from Anyer
Anyer
Anyer is a town in Banten, formerly West Java, Indonesia, fifteen kilometres south of Merak. It is home of a forty metre lighthouse built by King Willem III of the Netherlands in 1885 as a memorial for the townspeople killed by the eruption of Krakatau, which destroyed the town.It is also the...
, present day Banten
Banten
Banten is a province of Indonesia in Java. Formerly part of the Province of West Java, it was made a separate province in 2000.The administrative center is Serang. Preliminary results from the 2010 census counted some 10.6 million people.-Geography:...
, but formerly West Java to Panarukan, East Java, but later was extended to Banyuwangi
Banyuwangi
The Regency of Banyuwangi is located at the easternmost end of the Indonesian island of Java and it is a very strategic area for those who want to go to Bali, since it also serves as an important ferry port between Java and Bali. It is surrounded by mountains and forests to the west; by sea to the...
. In its current form the Java main road extends through five provinces
Provinces of Indonesia
The province is the highest tier of local government subnational entity in Indonesia. Each province has its own local government, headed by a governor, and has its own legislative body...
: Banten
Banten
Banten is a province of Indonesia in Java. Formerly part of the Province of West Java, it was made a separate province in 2000.The administrative center is Serang. Preliminary results from the 2010 census counted some 10.6 million people.-Geography:...
, DKI Jakarta, West Java
West Java
West Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
, Central Java
Central Java
Central Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
and East Java
East Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
.
Cities
The road initially served as the backbone of Java's transportation and logistic. It connects some of the largest cities in Java, including Anyer, CilegonCilegon
Cilegon is a major coastal industrial city in Banten province, Indonesia, covering 175.51 sqkm and has an official intercensal estimated population of 338,027 for 2007...
, Tangerang
Tangerang
Tangerang is a city in the Province of Banten, Indonesia. It is located about 25 km west of Jakarta. It is the third largest urban center in the Jabotabek region after Jakarta and Bekasi. It has an area of 164.54 km² and an official intercensal estimated population of 1,537,244 for 2005...
, Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Meester Cornelis
Jatinegara
Jatinegara is a subdistrict of East Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. The boundaries of Jatinegara are Bekasi Barat Raya - Bekasi Timur Raya - I...
(today absorbed into Jakarta), Buitenzorg
Bogor
Bogor is a city on the island of Java in the West Java province of Indonesia. The city is located in the center of the Bogor Regency , 60 kilometers south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta...
, Cianjur
Cianjur
Cianjur is a city in the West Java province of Indonesia, the capital of Cianjur Regency. Cianjur is located in the middle of the main road between Jakarta and Bandung . The population is about 146,874...
, Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, Sumedang
Sumedang
Sumedang is a town in West Java, Indonesia, approximately 35 km northeast of Bandung.The town is famous for tahu Bungkeng, a local variety of deep fried tofu which was first made by a Chinese immigrant, Ong Kino....
, Cirebon
Cirebon
Cirebon is a port city on the north coast of the Indonesian island of Java. It is located in the province of West Java near the provincial border with Central Java, approximately 297 km east of Jakarta, at .The seat of a former Sultanate, the city's West and Central Java border location have...
, Tegal
Tegal
Tegal is the largest city in the Tegal Regency, Indonesia. It is situated on the north coast of Central Java, about from Semarang, capital of Central Java....
, Pekalongan
Pekalongan
Pekalongan is a city and seat of Pekalongan Regency on the northern coast of Central Java, Indonesia. The city is Central Java's most important port, and is known for its batik.-History:The history of Pekalongan dated back to the early 12th century...
, Semarang
Semarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
, Rembang, Tuban
Tuban
Tuban is a town located on the north coast of Java, in Tuban Regency, approximately 100 km west of Surabaya, the capital of East Java. Tuban is surrounded by Lamongan in the east, Bojonegoro in the south and Rembang, Central Java in the west....
, Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Pasuruan
Pasuruan
Pasuruan is a city and regency of East Java, Java....
, Probolinggo
Probolinggo
Probolinggo is a city on the north coast of East Java, Indonesia.Like most of northern East Java, the city has a large Madurese population in addition to many ethnically Javanese people...
and Panarukan.
Media depiction
In 1996, the Dutch producer Pieter van Huystee produced the film De Groote Postweg (The Great Post Road). This film was shown in several cinemas in The Netherlands, ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The Indonesian writer Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Pramoedya Ananta Toer
Pramoedya Ananta Toer was an Indonesian author of novels, short stories, essays, polemic and histories of his homeland and its people...
did the narration for this film.